Combination of a self-moving harvesting machine and a transport vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to a combination of a self-propelled harvester ( 32 ) and a transport vehicle ( 33 ), set up to accept crops from the harvester, which has at least one driven and at least one steered axle, wherein the transport vehicle ( 33 ) has an electronic control unit ( 38 ) which is set up to control the driven and the steered axle of the transport vehicle ( 33 ), and the control unit ( 38 ) is connected to a receiving unit which is set up to receive position data for the harvester ( 32 ) so that the control unit ( 38 ) can be operated to control the transport vehicle ( 33 ) to accept crops from the harvester ( 32 ) automatically with respect to a position of the harvester ( 32 ). 
     The proposal is made that the control unit ( 38 ) be operable to automatically make the transport vehicle ( 32 ) drive parallel to the harvester ( 32 ) and to be docked to it so as to be able to accept crops from the harvester ( 32 ), and that the transport vehicle ( 33 ) be unmanned.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a combination of a self-propelled harvester and atransport vehicle set up to receive crops from the harvester, which hasat least one driven and at least one steered axle, wherein the transportvehicle has an electronic control unit which is set up to control thedriven and steered axle of the transport vehicle, and the control unitis connected with a receiving unit that is set up to receive positiondata for the harvester, so that the control unit can be operated tocontrol the transport vehicle to receive crops from the harvesterautomatically, relative to a position of the harvester.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

In the mid-1950s, one-axle vehicles in agriculture were replaced bydriving-axle trailers, since tractors with low but sufficient power didnot have sufficient mass to pull the trailers, which were twice as heavyunder adverse weather conditions. The driving-axle trailer was coupledto the tractor with a mechanical towing bar and driven by means of thetractor's power take-off shaft. The traction weight of the transportunit could, in this way, be increased by the mass of the driving-axletrailer plus the load, and thus be distributed on the wheels so thateach wheel also drove and braked the load which it carried. Sincesuitable control electronics were still lacking so as to adapt therotational speed of the tractor wheels and driving-axle trailer wheelsto different curve radii, it happened under certain conditions that thedriving-axle trailer would topple the tractor, which led to deadlyaccidents. The production and sale of driving-axle trailers wastherefore discontinued. Present-day electronics permit the functionalitydescribed above to be constituted safely.

In the VDI [Association of German Engineers] Report 1356 “FarmTechnology 1997,” Tapazdi summarized results of his dissertation“Possibilities in improving the wheel-ground contact” as follows:

% Schlupf _({circle around (1)}) Boden Boden % Lfd._({circle around (2)}) Fahrzeugantrieb _({circle around (3)}) normal_({circle around (4)}) nass _({circle around (5)}) schwer/nass_({circle around (6)}) 1 Hinterradantrieb _({circle around (7)}) 22 4060 2 1 + Vorderrad _({circle around (8)}) 20 28 55 3 2 + Triebachser_({circle around (9)}) 18 20 40 4 3 + Reifendruck_({circle around (10)}) 14 16 35 Key: _({circle around (1)}) Slippage_({circle around (2)}) Consecutive _({circle around (3)}) Vehicle drive_({circle around (4)}) Ground normal _({circle around (5)}) Ground wet_({circle around (6)}) Heavy/wet _({circle around (7)}) Rear wheel drive_({circle around (8)}) 1 + Front wheel _({circle around (9)}) 2 +Driving axle _({circle around (10)}) 3 + Tire pressure

The slippage values refer to the rear wheel of the tractor, wherein aslippage of 20% represents a good value in agriculture for normalground. From the table one can see that this value is established afterswitching on the front wheel driving axle. Switching on the driving-axletrailer does not bring any substantial advantages under the describedconditions.

On wet ground, however, a slippage of 20% can be maintained only afterswitching on the drive of the driving-axle trailer. On wet, heavyground, however, this measure is not sufficient to ensure a satisfactorymobility and traction. However, activation of the tire pressureregulation unit on all wheels can prevent the transport vehicles fromgetting stuck.

If one considers the size and the weight of the transport trailersdisplayed at the Agritechnica Fair, Hannover 2001, and theself-propelled harvesters and the increased throughputs of the machinesdue to the greater work widths and higher speeds, then the demand mustbe made to lower the stress on the ground by using lightweight materialsand improved machine designs. With regard to machine designs, thefollowing rough calculations can be made. If one assumes a throughput ofa field chaff-cutter of 150 t/h, then 8.3 transport vehicles of the unit“tractor plus 20 t tandem-trailer (not driven)” are needed, withoutaddressing transport distance factors.

If one uses a tandem-driving-axle trailer, which can also pull a 30-tonthree-axle trailer, then the transport needs can be managed by 3.3transport units. That means a savings of 5 tractors, which must offsetthe costs for the single-wheel drives of the driving-axle trailers.

If, with a knowledge of experiments with “driver assistance systems,”one attacks the problem in a very logical manner and switches totridem-driving-axle trailers, then there can be an economizing of 8.3tractors, wherein the chaff material of 2.8 rigs can be handled with twotridem-driving-axle trailers.

In June 1999, Daimler-Chrysler presented, on the Autobahn A 81,prototypes of two commercial vehicles with an “electronic towing bar.”The two vehicles were electronically coupled with one another so thatthe leading vehicle was steered, accelerated, and decelerated by adriver, as usual, while the following vehicle, without a driver,followed the lead vehicle with a “virtual towing bar,” as it were, at ashort distance and a matched speed.

Driver assistance systems of this type differ from the servo systems inthat they are equipped with additional electronics and haveintelligence, relieving the driver of driving decisions and steeringwork in critical situations.

That can be explained with the example of ABS brakes. ABS intervenes ifthe driver overbrakes the vehicle so that the wheels tend to lock. WithABS, however, locking of the wheels can be avoided without driverinvolvement, so that the control of the vehicle on the road is not lostand it can be safely braked. Future vehicles are no longer conceivablewithout driver assistance of this type and without mechatronics.

DE 197 05 842 A describes a harvesting method in which harvesters areremote-controlled from a control site. However, the harvester can alsobe conducted on its path by a navigation system, for example, GPS, or bysystems for the row recognition of harvest crops, wherein they aresupervised by the control site. If the grain hopper of a combine isfull, a harvest vehicle is sent from the control site to the combine toempty the grain hopper. The grain hopper can be controlled by remotecontrol or by operators. A self-activated or automatic control of theharvest vehicle cannot be found in this publication. It can thus beregarded as disadvantageous that an operator must be provided for theremote control or operation of the harvest vehicle.

WO 00/35265 A describes an electronically supported operating method fora combine and a transport vehicle. The combine is provided with means todetect how full its grain hopper is. With the aid of the degree of grainhopper fullness, a map of the field and a position determination deviceprovided with a satellite receiving unit, a determination is made as towhen and at what location a transfer of the grain to the transportvehicle should take place. The transport vehicle equipped with aposition determination device is then instructed, through acorrespondingly informed driver or automatically, to go at the expectedtime to the expected location where the transfer operation is to takeplace. Parallel travel of the combine and the transport vehicle whileemptying of the tank is not disclosed. The transport vehicle is aconventional tractor that is equipped with a driver's cab andcorresponding operating devices.

DE 100 57 374 A, published after the priority date of the patent underconsideration, describes a combination of a transport vehicle and aharvester. The transport vehicle is provided with an operator positionfrom which the harvester can be remotely controlled. The harvester canalso be moved along rows of crops. There is the possibility ofsynchronizing the speeds and steering of the two vehicles so as tofacilitate the transfer of the crop from the harvester to the croptransport vehicle.

A similar procedure is described in DE 100 64 862 A, which was alsopublished after the priority date of the patent under consideration. Theharvester transmits information on its position, determined by asatellite receiving system, to the transport vehicle, which is providedwith a display for the driver or is driver automatically, so that itdrives to a desired position next to the self-propelled harvester andreceives the crop. The transport vehicle is provided with a driveroperating position.

The problem of the invention under consideration is to make available anunmanned and autonomously driven transport vehicle which is suitable forreceiving the crop from a harvester while traveling.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, this problem is solved with a combination ofa harvester and a transport vehicle with the features of Claim 1.Advantageous developments and refinements of the invention can beobtained with the features contained in the subsequent claims.

It is proposed that an unmanned transport vehicle have at least onedriven and at least one steered axle, so that, in connection with aposition data receiving unit connected to an electronic controller, itcan move by means of its own drive relative to the pertinent position ofa harvester, which as a rule is manned. The transport vehicle can moveparallel to the harvester and receive the crop from it. It can dockparallel with, for example, a combine, for emptying the hopper.

In this way, the transport vehicle can follow a harvester without arigid mechanical connection being present. However, there is also thepossibility of controlling the transport vehicle's movement such that itcan assume a very specific purposeful position relative to theharvester, to enable receiving the crop from the correspondinglydesigned lead vehicle without cumbersome maneuvers being necessary. Inthe same way, a second transport vehicle can be controlled such that itis joined to the first transport vehicle and follows in its tracks or isoffset relative to its tracks.

One can also assume that the possible savings in the procurement costfor a process chain with transport vehicles according to the inventionand a “virtual towing bar” are large, in comparison to previoustransport systems, if one considers that many vehicles are no longerneeded and the remaining components can be standardized. Also, therequirements regarding demands on the human being and his attentionduring operation of a process chain with transport vehicles according tothe invention are lowered in comparison to other transport systems, as aresult of the clearly lower number of vehicles, the high degree ofautomation of the processes, and the support by driver assistancesystems. Since the transport vehicle is operated automatically, thedriver's comfort now depends only on the quality of the lead vehicle,and the driver is dissociated from all of the trailer's vibrationexcitation. Furthermore, the compression of the ground by a processchain with transport vehicles according to the invention can be reducedin comparison to all other transport systems, since the mass of theeconomized vehicles no longer compresses the ground; with the transportvehicle, the mechanical towing bar and heavy loading container devicescan be economized, and the vehicle can be produced with lightweightmaterials. Tire filling units permit an automatic lowering of the tirepressure on the field, so as to increase the contact surface of thetires and to reduce the ground pressure. A mass reduction of theharvesters can also be attained by constantly emptying the tank on thetransport vehicle, which is propelled parallel, wherein the machinedesign of the “virtual towing bar” permits all possibilities of thetrack-offset driving of the transport vehicle and other track variationsby single-wheel steering and hexapod-axle suspension.

By the “virtual towing bar,” the control horizon of a transport vehicleor its vehicle management can be expanded such that the vehicle can movefreely and autonomously if it is asked to do so by a lead vehicle. If alead vehicle is not in the vicinity or is “inactive,” then a transportvehicle can also be conducted by a control center to the next usagelocation with the aid of electronic maps, and a GPS-positioning systemcan be used on the field. Hindrances are marked and guide lines, whichthe transport vehicle can follow or must bypass, are entered on thetopological maps.

Unmanned lead vehicles expand the control space of the transport vehiclesuch that the transport vehicle can also be used on the road in thefuture, which experiments with driver assistance systems have proven.

Examples of receiving units which can receive wireless positioncoordinates are satellite position-determining systems (alsodifferential), radio and/or radar signal-receiving units. The combineduse of several different receiving units expands the possibilities of anindependently drivable transport vehicle and also increases controlaccuracy. Satellite navigation devices for all vehicles of a processchain and CBS communication of all participants with one another reducethe danger of collisions and increase safety.

With an autonomously driven transport vehicle, the position andsituation of the harvester, or generally the lead vehicle which isahead, can be scanned with radar or laser procedures and/or electronicimage processing, thereby generating the next theoretical movementvector of the transport vehicle from the relative positions of the leadvehicle and the transport vehicle.

Lead vehicles, such as tractors or harvesters, should be recognized bythe transport vehicle from individual features. For every lead vehicle,therefore, special leading algorithms are placed in the electricalcontrol and are again recalled after the transport vehicle hasapproached a given lead vehicle.

It may be advantageous also to use sensors on such transport vehiclesaccording to the invention. They can be placed on the axles and/or thewheels, so as to determine the rotational speeds, torques, respectivemasses and/or wheel positions.

The transport vehicle consists of a chassis and at least onedriving-axle unit. The chassis should permit the attachment of variousdump, pallet and slurry spreader structures, etc., so that the transportvehicle can be used in many diverse ways. Adaptive and active suspensionsystems can be used. Each axle unit can consist of an axle bracket andtwo wheel heads with servo drive, servo brake, and servo steering. Also,two or more driving axles can be used. A change in the movementdirection of the entire vehicle, however, can be attained only via achange in the movement vectors of the individual wheels. In contrast toconventional steering methods, this requires more intelligence and anexpansion of the code to be processed and the required storage capacity.After the discussion of the external control space of the electricalcontrol of a driving-axle trailer, the important thing is to alsoclarify the control spaces of the movement vectors of all wheels and theyaw behavior of the entire vehicle. Single-wheel drives on the transportvehicles reduce the breakdown probability of the entire system throughtheir multiple redundancy and increase the safety in the process chain.As a primary power unit, a central underfloor diesel engine andgenerator, or alternatively, a fuel cell, can be used. The drive of thetransport vehicle should be effected electrically directly on the axlesor preferably on the drive wheels, perhaps with the insertion of amechanical gear. Electrical components have the advantage that they canalso be used at low temperatures and do not freeze. A system withseveral fuel cells can be regarded as promising, since they can convertthe chemical energy content of the fuel directly into direct current and“burn” the fuel “cold” without a detour through a mechanical stage.Improved efficiencies can be attained with tractors if several fuelcells are used if the installed power is not fully utilized sinceindividual cells can be turned off. Fuel cells have their bestefficiencies of approximately 40 percent at close to their maximumcapacity, in contrast to the diesel engine.

Since a transport vehicle in the harvest process chain should as a rulework together with a large number of vehicles, the principle of the“virtual towing bar” substantially facilitates transport uses, sincecoupling no longer must be done manually. With an appropriate design ofthe transport vehicle according to the invention, containers can, afterdocking, be moved from one transport vehicle to another, or to anondriven trailer or a commercial motor vehicle. The assumption is thatthe productivity of a process chain of transport vehicles with “virtualtowing bar” increases in comparison to traditional transport systemsbecause of the flexibility and high degree of automation gained, theomission of manual coupling maneuvers, and the easy change-over ofcontainers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The invention will be described below by way of example. The figuresshow the following:

FIG. 1: a tractor with nondriven tandem axle trailer (prior art);

FIG. 2: a tractor with tandem-axle-driving-axle trailer (prior art);

FIG. 3: a top view of a turning lead vehicle, which asks a transportvehicle via radio to perform a coupling operation, wherein the transportvehicle determines the position and situation of the lead vehicle;

FIG. 4: With a simultaneous movement of the two vehicles, the transportvehicle reduces, in phase 1, the separation from the lead vehicle;

FIG. 5: In phase 2, the transport vehicle approaches to a workingdistance A1 from the lead vehicle. A second transport vehicle is coupledin the same manner;

FIG. 6: Expansion of the control space of the transport vehicle on theroad by the control distance of the manned lead vehicle or how far thedriver can see;

FIG. 7: After the order to empty the hopper, the transport vehicleinitiates determination of the position of a combine as the lead vehicleand approaches it with steered wheels;

FIG. 8: Approach to a lead vehicle in the first phase 1;

FIG. 9: Lateral docking with a lead vehicle at a distance B1 in thesecond phase 2 and preparation of the transfer operation;

FIG. 10: docking of a transport vehicle to a commercial motor vehicleand transfer of a container for removal transport; and

FIG. 11: departure of the container with a conventional commercial motorvehicle as the lead vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a transport vehicle 11 with an agricultural tractor 12 anda tandem-axle trailer 13 according to the prior art, which are connectedto one another via a towing bar 14. The disadvantages consist in thatthe tractor—with its own weight of 7 tons and a towing bar 14 supportload of 3 tons—cannot pull the trailer, which is almost twice as heavy,under adverse weather conditions.

In FIG. 2, this traction problem is solved in that the tandem-axletrailer 13 is replaced by a driving-axle trailer 23 with two drivingaxles 25, so that the useful adhesion weight of the vehicle combination21 has increased by the mass of the driving-axle trailer 23 and theservice load by approximately 20 tons.

The transport vehicle 33 shown in FIG. 3 in the form of a driving-axletrailer with three axles is connected with the lead vehicle via a“virtual towing bar” 34. The manned lead vehicle 22 overtakes thetransport vehicle 33 on the track 31 and places itself within thecontrol space 35, in front of the transport vehicle 33.

The driver of the lead vehicle 22 asks the transport vehicle 33 to dockitself, via a radio link path from radio 36 to control site 37 to theelectronic control 38. The controller 38 scans the position of the leadvehicle 22 with 360° radar 80 and generates a sequence of movementvectors 39 for the approach, with the data stored under theidentification of the lead vehicle 22.

The order for the transport vehicle 33 to dock itself can also be givenby an external central control site 81.

In FIG. 4, the distance between the vehicles 22 and 33 has been reducedwith respect to their position in FIG. 3, which can also be deduced fromthe diameters of the control spaces 35 and 45. Except for an angulardifference alpha, the transport vehicle 33 follows the lead vehicle 22already in the track. The movement vectors 39 and 49 have changed onlyslightly.

In FIG. 5, the working distance A1 has been achieved and the transportvehicle 33 is completely ready for use. It is also shown that a seconddriving-axle trailer has approached the first transport vehicle 33 up tothe working distance A2 according to the same method. The order toperform a coupling operation in an offset track was complied with, whichis documented by the track offset S.

FIG. 6 shows the expansion of the control space of the transport vehicle33 by the control horizon of the lead vehicle 22 or how far the drivercan see. The manned lead vehicle 22 expands the use range of thetransport vehicle 33 for road transport. Two rays are shown, proceedingfrom the eye perspective of the driver, which enclose an angle of vision64. Within this angle of vision the driver recognizes the vehicle 69that approaches a crossing from the right. The transport vehicle 33follows the manned lead vehicle 22 as if coupled by a mechanical shaft.

Since harvesters 32, such as the depicted combine, in the harvest chainare also to be regarded as lead vehicles for transport vehicles 33,transverse movements are also required in addition to the longitudinaltravel of the transport vehicle 33, in order to dock with a combinelaterally, as depicted in FIG. 7. All procedures take place basically ina manner analogous to FIG. 3.

The driver of the harvester 32 asks the transport vehicle 33 to dockitself, via the radio link path from radio 36 to the control site 37 tothe electrical control 38 of the transport vehicle. A 360° radar 80, asan example of a receiving unit, senses the position of the harvester 32wirelessly and calculates a sequence of movement vectors for theapproach to the harvester 32, acting as the lead vehicle, with the datastored under the identification of the harvester 32.

The “virtual towing bar” 34 extends from the harvester 32 laterallybetween the marking 30 of the harvester 32 and the 360° radar 80. Thecalculated movement vector 39 points in the direction of the marking 30of the harvester 32. In FIG. 7, the transverse travel is introduced viasteering of the single-wheel drive of the transport vehicle 33.

The order to couple the transport vehicle 33 can also be given by anexternal central control site 81.

In FIG. 8, the transport vehicle 33 has approached the harvester 32 upto the control space 85 and the 360° radar 80 detects the position ofthe harvester 32 via the “virtual towing bar” 34. The data stored underthe identification of the harvester 32 permit the generation of asequence of movement vectors for the approach.

FIG. 9 shows that the transport vehicle 33 has docked, according to theposition of the “virtual triangle” 34, at the desired distance B1 fromthe harvester 32. The transfer auger 99 has already been brought intoposition. Since both vehicles are in motion during emptying of thehopper of the harvester 32, the positions of the vehicles relative toone another must be continuously monitored and corrected. In order toguarantee a uniform loading of the transport vehicle 33, the relativeposition of the transfer tube 99 should also be readjusted.

FIG. 10 shows a situation in which a transport vehicle 33 received theorder, from a commercial motor vehicle 42 as the lead vehicle, totransfer the full container 50 for removal transport. As a result of itsown positions and those of the commercial motor vehicle 42 giving theorder, the transport vehicle 33 is able to drive up to the commercialmotor vehicle 42 and to dock for transfer of the container 50 at adistance A1. This occurs in a manner analogous to FIG. 5, with thedifference that the distance A1 is only about 5 cm.

After transfer of the container 50, the commercial motor vehicle 42 isready for departure and leaves transport vehicle 33 without a container.The transport vehicle 33 is again ready to receive an empty container.

In the method of autonomous agricultural transport with transportvehicles 33 and lead vehicles 22, 32, 42, the positions of theparticipating vehicles must be detected and recalculated withinmilliseconds. From these sequences, three configurations for rear andlateral coupling to a lead vehicle were retained as FIGS. 3 to 5 orFIGS. 7 to 9.

The process technology of three-axle transport vehicles 33 was depictedin FIGS. 1 to 11 in an interplay with different lead vehicles 22, 32,42. Moreover, rapidly moving lead vehicles 22, 32, 42 and transportvehicles 33 can be used, for example, in the construction of highwaysand with a large number of uses in the off-road area.

In addition to the favored three-axle transport vehicle 33, however, anyother number of drive axles for transport vehicles is also conceivable.

In addition to 360° radar 80, methods of laser technology and ultrasoundor electronic image processing can also be used as “virtual towingbars.”

The interplay of the “virtual towing bar” 34 control triangle, betweenthe 360° radar 80 of the transport vehicle 33 and the marking 30 of thelead vehicle 22, 32, 42, is an outstanding example of the new drivetechnology.

From the measurement data, the electronic control 38 of the autonomoustransport vehicle 33 processes the momentary movement vector 39 of thevehicle and derives the new theoretical specifications of the movementvectors of the respective single-wheel drives therefrom.

These specifications are transmitted, via a CAN bus or anothercommunication system, to the controllers of the single-wheel drives.Implementation of the calculated specifications for rotational speed,torque, and angle turnings of the wheel drives is controlled andmonitored by the electronic controller of the single-wheel drives.

Whereas the transport vehicle 33 should be upgraded with regard to itselectronic functions, to be able to flexibly adapt to all workingrequirements in the course of a year, the electronic upgrading ofconventional lead vehicles 22, 32, 42 can be limited to the addition,for example, of a satellite reception station and/or a CBS radio unit.

An intelligent autonomously moving transport vehicle 33 can haveelements for the following functions on board:

-   -   satellite receiving station    -   CBS radio unit with identification of the lead vehicle that is        calling    -   “virtual electronic shaft” 34 with 360° radar 80 to detect the        position of a lead vehicle 22, 32, 42 that is calling    -   electronic control 38 with a microprocessor with sufficient        power and storage capacity    -   recall of the steering algorithms of the identified lead vehicle        32 and calculation of the movement vectors 39 of the entire        vehicle and of the single-wheel drives of the transport vehicle        33    -   commanding of the specification data for the single-wheel drives        via the communication net    -   processing of an operational cycle of all single-wheel drives        and repetition of the processing loop until the working distance        A1 is attained    -   coupling to the lead vehicle 22, 32, 42 with the “virtual        electronic shaft” and removal transport of the entire rig    -   docking of a transport vehicle 33, at a distance of        approximately 5 cm, to a commercial motor vehicle 32 for the        transfer of a container 100 for removal transport    -   etc.

As a primary power unit for a transport vehicle 33, a central underfloordiesel engine with generator, for example, can be considered, thealternating current of which is rectified by a rectifier and issupplied, as a direct current, to the single-wheel motors via anintermediate circuit, wherein, per wheel, a controller and inverserectifier set the wheel speeds and torques, prespecified by theelectronic control.

A primary power unit with distributed fuel cells of approximately 40 kWcan also be placed between the wheels as individual units, to the rightand left, and offer the advantage that the chemical energy content ofthe fuel is made available directly as a direct current, without anydetour through a mechanical stage.

1. A vehicle combination comprising: a self-propelled harvesters and atransport vehicle adapted to receive harvested crops from the harvester,the transport vehicle having at least one driven and at least onesteered axle; an electronic control unit on the transport vehicle forcontrolling the driven and steered axle of the transport vehicle; and areceiving unit in communication with the control unit, the receivingunit used to receive position data of the harvester such that thecontrol unit can be operated to automatically control the transportvehicle in relation to the position of the harvester so as to receiveharvested crops from the harvester, wherein the control unit is operatedto automatically drive the transport vehicle to collect crops from theharvester during travel, and wherein the transport vehicle is unmanned.2. The vehicle combination according to claim 1, wherein the receivingunit is designed to receive information containing position coordinatesfrom a position determination system.
 3. The vehicle combinationaccording to claim 2 wherein the harvester is provided with a satelliteposition determination system and position signals are communicated tothe receiving unit of the transport vehicle.
 4. The vehicle combinationaccording to claim 2 wherein the harvester is provided with a GPSposition determination system.
 5. The vehicle combination according toclaim 2 wherein the harvester is provided with a laser positiondetermination system.
 6. The vehicle combination according to claim 2wherein the transport vehicle is provided with a laser beam guidancesystem.
 7. The vehicle combination according to claim 2 wherein thetransport vehicle is provided with an electronic camera with imageprocessing system.
 8. The vehicle combination according to claim 2wherein the control unit is operated to calculate a sequence of movementvectors for the transport vehicle to approach the harvester using astored identifier for the harvester.
 9. The vehicle combinationaccording to claim 8 wherein the identification data of the harvester isstored in the control unit.
 10. The vehicle combination according toclaim 1 wherein the harvester is equipped with a movable transfer tubefor the transfer of harvested crops to the transport vehicle, andwherein the relative position of the transfer tube can be adjustedautomatically for the uniform loading of the transport vehicle.
 11. Thevehicle combination according to claim 1 wherein sensors are provided onaxles and wheels of the transport vehicle for the determination ofmovement vectors.
 12. The vehicle combination according to claim 1wherein sensors are provided on axles and wheels of the transportvehicle for the determination of rotational speeds.
 13. The vehiclecombination according to claim 1 wherein sensors are provided on axlesand wheels of the transport vehicle for the determination of torques.14. The vehicle combination according to claim 1 wherein sensors areprovided on axles and wheels of the transport vehicle for thedetermination of respective masses.
 15. The vehicle combinationaccording to claim 1 wherein the wheels of the transport vehicle can bedriven and steered individually.
 16. The vehicle combination accordingto claim 1 wherein interchangeable crop containers can be mounted on avehicle chassis of the transport vehicle.
 17. The vehicle combinationaccording to claim 1 wherein the transport vehicle is provided withoutan operator workplace.